Villages in Action at the Exeter Heritage Centre

On Wednesday, 6 researchers from Starcross met up with Kate Green from Villages in Action 
 and 6 researchers from Whimple at the  heritage centre on the Sowton industrial estage .
Both groups are part of the Villages in Action project to unearth the histories of our communities.

Anyone can go to this centre, which is run by the South West Heritage Trust. There is access to all the documents and books AND, online; the British Newspaper Archive AND a family history website. All you have to do is fill in a very simple form and, if you have ID with you, they give you a card which lasts 4 years. This card is also valid at the North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple

If you want to photograph the documents you discover, it costs £5 a day, or around £80 for a year's photographic subscription.

Catalogues are freely available online. Here's a link to the details of the account book of THE STARCROSS BREAD AND COAL CHARITY from 1879 to 1903.

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The card indexes in the heritage centre can be freely searched. Starcross information tends to be filed under the parish - which was Kenton, until the 1980s when Starcross had its own Parish Council.

Here's some of the Starcross gems unearthed from the card index: all you have to do is ask at the desk, and someone will dive down into the archives, and bring out the map, plan or document.

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON: Plan showing the space occupied by the
 new washing machine with specification of steam
laundry machinery - Western Counties Institution
Starcross

1903 - 1909

Maps and Plans - Kenton. plan showing new washing machine

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON: Plans and specification for the Red House,
Starcross

1933

Maps and Plans - Kenton. Red House Starcross

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON: plan of the Starcross and Kenton Gas
 Company's premises

1928 - 1929     

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON:Starcross and Kenton Gas Company

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON: plan of dry dock at Starcross

1809

MAPS AND PLANS
KENTON: plan of a house in Starcross near the
railway

1903

AGRICULTURE. Warrens
KENTON.  deeds relating to a rabbit warren and salt
works in Kenton 1704 - 1790

 

AGRICULTURE. Warrens
KENTON. Rabbit Warren
1703

AGRICULTURE. Warrening
KENTON: exclusive rights to rabbits in the warren
in the field below the Mount Pleasant Inn

1854

ART AND ARTISTS
Eland's Art Gallery, 234 High Street, Exeter.
Illustrated Catalogue "The West Country" depicted
by Devonshire Artists

1908

MAPS                         EXE,   RIVER
with Starcross, Powderham 1508m/Rivers 4
Exe      Bight                                                5
Exe  Canal                                                  pl1
"        "   (countess wear)                             6
Jame's  Weir    c.1750                                A1
Near Salmon Pool                                    A2
Lympsone Exmouth 1839